But she was okay, and many of us were able to know that.  I'd like to think that, at least in that difficult time, we helped out a bit.

What does this prove?  This could just as well of been:

See- quoting chat/irc means nothing.  If anything, there is some questionable timing on responses in your original. 

In general, I'd like to see this crap ended.  If you can't get along on the site, leave.  Don't bring this crap from article to article as you have been.  It's getting really old.

Asaxy:  I think we all have our own lines as far as how involved we wish to get.  I have made some deep and lasting friendships here, and I think it's amazing how kindred spirits are able to find each other via the internet.  I often think about what life would be like if we were stuck with just our neighbors our or town like in the old days.  How isolated.  Even though it's "easy" to make friends, how easy is it to find someone who truly understands you?  I think that's almost as rare as finding the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. 

The ol 'fake it till ya make it' addage....works 99% of the time for me....the other 1%, I wallow till I get mad...

I'm not implying action should be by passed in such cases.  I am saying I can understand someone who runs the site and is not involved in the messiness, frankly, not wanting to hear about it everyday.  Especially once its dealt with...(though who really knows).

For instance, the video LW linked.  I love that song, but I won't ever watch that video intentionally again.  It was powerful.  It was good.  No doubt.  But I've had my fair share of the ugliness and refuse to clog my life now with it...so I will opt out in the future.

That doesn't mean I am ignoring the problem.

I would do just about anything to help a little girl in that situation.  No blog rules, or even the "law"  would stop me.  Actual help can still be help while being separated from the blogging experience.

I do think writing about it is cathartic, and believe JU should be able to discuss any member who asks for help, takes it, then gives everyone the finger with their behavior.  Personally, I would ban the bums for life...

But I'm not in charge.

I do understand JU is part of a business.  We are here at Brad's sufferance.  He started JU because he likes to blog...(per articles/replies he's written).  I think if he knew for sure someone was suicidal or whatever, he'd take appropriate action.  Just like most JUers.

But I don't think you'd ever read a blog about it.  (As for instance, I am sure the Stardock team has many interactions beyond JU, and we never hear about it.  Doesn't  mean its not happening, its just not broadcast on the site.)

People sue today over EVERYTHING (my aunt just spent two weeks on jury duty and said its ridiculous the civil cases she was forced to endure).  I'd hate to lose JU because it becomes a liability for Stardock.

But how I choose to interact with other JUers off site, is my business.  And unless I share it, no one will know one way or another.

Individually we are all responsible for what we do.  As a group on Stardock's site, the lines get blurrier because there is a "middle" media.

That's all I'm sayin.

I've been suicidal more often than I've let any of you know.  I don't write about it, in fact, I barely write at all when going through these episodes.  Such is the life of a manic-depressive.

When I'm in a manic phase, I write much more, and since my mania takes several forms, from extreme euphoria (where I visit everyone else's articles, leaving witty--at least i think they're witty--comments) to extreme irritability, when I lurk about looking for my favorite punching bags to open their stupid mouths so I can nail 'em.

Mania also tends to make me reckless, it impairs my ability to make sound decisions, and on occasion, leads me to feelings of increased self-importance.  These are the times I tend to tell even Admins to go fark themselves, because at that moment I'm convinced they'd never get rid of me, I'm too important!  (Yeah, right.)

But when I'm on that downswing and thinking about stepping off this godforasken planet, JU would be the last to know because I won't want to be interfered with at that moment.  I think someone starting a blog stating they are going to kill themselves in 90 days is certainly reaching out for help, and certainly needs to, even if they have no such intention and are just toying with the emotions of others, which would be very cruel, or have some sick need for attention which would also benefit from the services of a psychiatrist.

But I'd be very suspect of their sincerity to act on their threat.  The ones who are serious keep it a secret until the deed is done.

Like Mari, I have far more online friends than I do nearby in the physical world, and that's just fine with me.  I've had my wild times...(oh BOY have I had my wild times)...and as I rapidly approach my 50's I find myself physically ill, tired, and semi-housebound.  The internet has given me a chance to stay in touch with the world and selectively meet many fascinating people I may never have encountered anywhere else.

I think my manic-depression has a lot to do with the fact that I've never had large numbers of friends in real life (though I've lived with several men that had HUGE followings--but those were 'their' friends, and only 'mine' by default.)   You get me in small doses here, regardless of the pony I'm riding at the time, and you the reader have the ability to remove me from your sight with the click of a button.

This is not the case in real life.  My family can't click me away, nor can my Husband, although I'm sure they've often wished they could, if only temporarily.  I meet people I'd like to befriend (in person) and while things usually start out pretty well, eventually they grow exhausted with my intense and unpredictable mood swings and fade out of my life.

C'est la vie, C'est la guerre.

Is my blog therapeutic?  In many ways, I'd answer that with a resounding YES.  But it's also been a source of aggravation, worry, and stress.  There are many pearls (like the author of this thread, for example...and her equally fabulous husband)  to be found in the mounds of shit that pollute these forums as a whole, but those pearls are worth finding, so I keep on digging, who cares if I dirty my hands in the process?

Shit washes off.  Pearls shine forever.

As for the libel discussion, my take is we're all adults here (or at least we're supposed to be).  Name calling is not necessrily nice but it happens sometimes.  I say get over it, get on with it and let it go.  The more power someone gives something silly as that, the more it is likely to affect them and those around them.  Life is just too short to worry about it.

Having said this, if I read about someone preparing to harm themselves or others, I would do everything I could to stop it, even if it meant over-stepping boundaries as set out in a TOU.

To some people, JU might be a joke or a pain the ass becasue they don't like some people, but to many of us, it's a chance to interact with people we have come to care about.  We have gotten used to each others little quirks and gotten involved in each others lives, as much as we each permit at any rate.  I would not be one of the idle ones who sit by because I care too much about human (and animal) lives.  I say this, if some peole are just not for stuff like this, then they need to do something else, simple as that!  It all boils down to common sense and knowing yourself and your own threshold of limitation!

As a blogger, I see the friendships, the loyalty, and the over all personal level.

If I were the owner, well....lets face it, some of the people who blog on JU "might" be scum bags...and if I owned it...I probably wouldn't want all their scumminess broadcast on the site.  It brings the entire blogging experience down.

So I can def see both sides of this issue.

At the same time I worked as a professional journalist before becoming a SAHM...and I can tell you we ran stories, hard stories, with little more "evidence" than has been given on this forum...once someone "admits" to something...all threat of libel about that specific thing is gone..or was when I was working.

Also calling someone a name like fish/butt head/meat ball/dog breath...is not libel as I remember it.  When I was reporting there were distinct areas you could not tread without evidence...you can't say someone has a VD...you can't say they're a cheat or anything that might affect their business without proof...and one other, but honestly I can't think of it right now.

But its been awhile, and who knows if we were operating within the law?  We had lawyers on staff when we had questions...maybe they were just good.  I'm no libel expert.